Information Professionals Go Global: Reflections on the
International Librarians Network Peer Mentoring Program
by Cate Carlyle (Canadian Ambassador, International Librarians Network)
In late 2012 three innovative librarians living and working in
Australia -- Kate Byrne, Alyson Dalby and Clare McKenzie -- conceived
of a program allowing library professionals from anywhere in the world
to meet virtually, share information and expand their professional
network. What became the International Librarians Network (ILN) was
informed by established professional development and mentoring
practices; built upon the “principle of professional reciprocity," to
quote its founders; and defined by the belief that all participants
bring value to the program regardless of position, seniority or
location. [1] While traditional
hierarchical mentoring models focus on a senior to junior mentoring
model, the ILN peer mentoring model pairs participants at various
career stages on the basis of professional interest.
The founders began building ILN by establishing a basic website and
using their own Twitter accounts to attract participants. A 2013 pilot
program featuring six-month peer mentorships exceeded registration
expectations. ILN now features four-month peer mentorships and is open
to anyone working or studying in library and information management,
archives or museums. All communication between peers takes place
entirely online. Mentors may specify how they wish to be matched with
their partner, with some mentors choosing to be matched by career stage
or interest and others remaining open to any match. Mentors are given
topics to discuss as a starting point and encouraged to be in contact
every two weeks. After four months participants can choose to join the
network for further rounds or continue their peer relationship
independently.
ILN was founded as and remains a non-profit, volunteer-run
organization. In addition to its three founding directors, ILN's
leadership includes coordinators, consultants and content officers who
manage the blog, content and behind the scenes work. In addition, 31
countries are represented by country ambassadors, including Canada,
which is represented the author. At its inception in March 2013, the
ILN included 92 participants representing 18 countries. By March 2016,
the network boasted 1,162 current participants representing 95
countries. In the last three years, 4,500 information professionals from
133 countries have engaged in peer mentorships through ILN. Its
founders were recognized as community builders in the Library Journal's Movers &
Shakers Class of 2016. [2]
Ambassador and officer reflections
As country ambassadors to the ILN, we may never meet in person or hear
each other’s voices, but we are a very cohesive and supportive group of
international professionals. Ambassadors are either invited to serve or
volunteer. Typically, one ambassador is appointed per country. We
represent the ILN and promote the program within our own countries and
organizations, both virtually and in person. We also represent our
countries internally within ILN.
Ambassadors are encouraged to promote the program on social media using
Facebook and Twitter, through their professional and personal networks,
and at conferences and professional events. Ambassadors also
communicate internally through a Google Group, sharing success stories,
challenges and personal events. An Ambassador Handbook outlines
responsibilities, a code of conduct, and privacy and security
parameters.
Karen du ToitKendra PerkinsI have been very fortunate to
substantially expand my professional network through my role as
Ambassador for Canada to the ILN as well as through my past
participation as a peer mentor. As an ambassador, I respond to emails
about the program, including enquiries about how to apply and what the
program involves, while promoting the ILN and encouraging Canadian
participants to register. The ILN enables me to stay engaged and
current on international librarianship topics. I am proud of my small
role within the organization.
My recent discussions with other Ambassadors have shown that they share
my sense of pride. As Ambassador for Hong Kong, Leo Ma said he “is
delighted to engage increasingly more enthusiastic and energetic
professionals in this global LIS community.”
Karen du Toit, Ambassador for South Africa, said she
loves making connections with fellow librarians in her own country,
having "met many librarians in South Africa through the International
Librarians Network which [she] would not have done otherwise."
"I love being an Ambassador to the ILN for China because it is such an
interesting time in China’s history right now," said Kendra Perkins, a
professional librarian working in China. "Libraries are beginning to
move away from the traditional model of simple bookkeeping to being
involved in creating exciting programs and services."
John Louie ZabalaIn his role as Ambassador for the Philippines, John Louie Zabala said
he feels "a greater sense of professional fulfillment as it is one of
my dreams to help improve the quality of LIS practitioners in the
country in the littlest means that I could have. Given this opportunity
to bridge fellow Filipino librarians to the wider international LIS
community is a tick off my professional bucket list."
While Country Ambassadors may volunteer for various professional
reasons, we all value the connections made through the network and are
committed to supporting its growth.
Content officers work behind the scenes supporting the network’s social
media accounts, writing blog posts and monitoring discussion topics.
The ILN's team currently consists of three volunteer content officers,
including Molly Brown, who told me that "having the privilege to be an ILN content
officer has been an incredible experience – not only to share
experiences as a librarian from the United States, but also to learn
about the many creative and unique ways libraries around the world are
serving their patrons."
Michelle De Aizpurua, a content officer from Melbourne, Australia, said
she finds satisfaction in being "able to give back to the peer
mentoring program that provided me with so many networking and
development opportunities, and to build lasting relationships with the
library community from around the world. I have learnt so much from all
the people involved, and from researching and writing about each
discussion topic to stimulate discussion amongst our participants. As a
new graduate it has been an invaluable experience and one I highly
recommend to all information professionals."
Participant reflections
The reasons peer mentors cited for joining the ILN as a peer mentor are
as varied as the mentors themselves. Ninety percent of global
participants cited the fact that they want to "develop their
international professional network" as a reason for joining. Thirty
percent joined simply to support the free program. New professionals
may join to gain insight into the profession and add a professional
program to their resume, while those in the later stages of their
career may join to share knowledge and expertise. [3]
Dee WinnEmily Ruffell
Dee Winn, a first-time ILN participant and academic library
professional from Quebec, Canada, told the author the following: "I am
interested in many aspects of international librarianship. I believe
the International Librarians Network can help me achieve my goal of
connecting and collaborating with librarians whose professional
experiences are vastly different from my own."
Emily Ruffell, a public library professional from Ontario, Canada, and
first-time ILN participant, said she "decided to join the ILN
mentorship program for professional growth, to connect with other
library staff around the world, and to learn more about best practices
in library systems."
Bhakti Ghala, from Gujarat, India, has participated in two rounds of
peer mentoring and is now an ILN content officer. "[I've] experienced
the magic that this program had unleashed -- the magic of connections,"
she said. "These connections not only brought the world of Library and
Information Science professionals closer, but connected the global LIS
community in terms of challenges and issues faced."
Once matched with a mentor, participants are introduced and can
communicate with ILN coordinators via email. Mentors then mutually
decide how often to communicate and the form that communication will
take, with options including email, video conferencing and social media
platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. One of the main challenges
participants face is establishing trust and rapport via digital modes of
communication. Ensuring that online meetings are as much of a
priority as face to face meetings is also a challenge.
Time zones, cultural and language barriers, and competing priorities
can also prove challenging for participants. During my initial round,
when I was paired with a public librarian from Australia, I was
challenged by the fact that our responses were on a 24 hour delay due
to differing time zones. I also became frustrated a few weeks into the
round because my partner had failed to respond to the majority of my emails. In this
instance ILN coordinators served as a valuable support system,
acting as liaisons to facilitate better communication between my
partner and myself.
As the International Librarians Network continues to grow, so too do
its participants. It offers invaluable opportunities for the sharing of
knowledge, experience and information, and the creation of
partnerships, professional networks and friendships. While
international online communication may have its challenges, the ILN has
developed and nurtured a group of dedicated volunteers who take
ownership in the program and are committed to its success. Coordinated
by volunteers and conducted entirely online, the ILN is a truly unique program advancing essential tenets of 21st-century librarianship: equality, openness and accessibility.
About the Author
Cate Carlyle (MLIS, B.Ed., B.A.) is the Curriculum Resource Centre
Coordinator for the Faculty of Education at Mount Saint Vincent
University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. A special academic librarian and
former elementary school teacher-librarian, Carlyle has also worked in
public libraries and volunteers internationally. Carlyle is the
Canadian Ambassador to the International Librarians Network, a member
of the Canadian Partnership’s Education Institute Programming Team, and
a member of the Atlantic Provinces (APLA) and Nova Scotia Library
Associations (NSLA). Carlyle has her Master of Library and Information
Science Degree, Bachelor of Education and a Bachelor of Arts Degree.
Contact her at cate.carlyle@msvu.ca.
Endnotes
[1] Kate Byrne, Alyson Dalby and Clare McKenzie, "Rethinking Mentoring:
Online, International Peer Mentoring with the International Librarians
Network," International Librarians Network, last modified June 14,
2016, http://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.3413632. ↵